Eagles cornerback Darius Slay is no newcomer to the NFL. He’s going into his 12th season in the league and has established himself as elite at the position. He’s even picked up a nickname over the years. Slay has always been known for his flying defensive stops and momentum-swinging interceptions, earning him the moniker “Big Play Slay.” However, after years of wowing fans, Slay thinks his career is winding down.
In the spring leading up to training camp, Slay told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro “not too many” when asked how many seasons he has left. Despite his sentiments, Slay has shown no sign of slowing down during his tenure in Philadelphia. His shift in mindset is reasonable though, being that he’s 33 years old.
With his career potentially coming to an end soon, what has Slay meant to the city of Philadelphia and the league?
Looking Back on What Eagles Cornerback Darius Slay Has Meant to the Eagles and the League
Darius Slay’s College Days
Slay committed to Mississippi State after graduating high school in Brunswick, Georgia. There, he was a standout athlete who played football and basketball and ran track and field. He was named All-State by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. His best season in high school came in 2008 when he played running back and cornerback. Slay rushed for over 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns that season.
After a few seasons in junior college, Slay made his Bulldogs debut in 2011. In his first game against Memphis, Slay recorded three tackles. It was one of many examples of him making the most of his playing time that season. He saw limited snaps in 2011 but still made the most of his opportunities. He notched 23 tackles, one tackle for loss, four pass breakups, and a forced fumble. Slay’s best performance that season came against his hometown Georgia Bulldogs. In that game, he recorded three tackles, one tackle for loss, and a 72-yard pick-six. That pick-six would go down as the 10th-longest touchdown return in franchise history.
In 2012 Slay had a breakout season as a starting corner. He recorded 40 tackles and five picks, another pick six, 101 return yards on interceptions, a tackle for loss, and 11 pass deflections. His best game of that season came against Troy in week three. In that game, he had a highlight performance with six tackles, two picks, and three pass deflections.
Following the 2012 season, Slay declared for the NFL Draft.
His Time In The NFL
The Detroit Lions took Slay with the 36th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and he quickly made an impact on the league. In his 12 seasons, he has made the Pro Bowl in half of them. Slay became a full-time starter in just his second season and hasn’t looked back since. He earned his first Pro Bowl and only All-Pro nod in 2017, where he racked up a league-leading eight interceptions. Slay also led the league in pass deflections with 26.
He continued earning Pro Bowl nods in the following two seasons before being traded to Philadelphia in 2020. With the Birds, he’s held off father time. He’s made three more pro bowls in four of his seasons with the team and led the league in the fumbles department for cornerbacks in 2021. Slay led the league in fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns with two and fumble recovery return yards with 116.
Overall Slay has put up staggering numbers in his NFL career. He amassed 28 interceptions, scored five defensive touchdowns, made 147 pass deflections, and recorded 570 tackles. If there’s any way to describe his impact on the league, it is as a ballhawk and a playmaker.
What Next For Slay
Slay’s mindset on his remaining playing time has shifted in these later years. He seems to be more focused on training up the younger defensive backs on the team and wants to give them their time to shine.
“I’m going to let these young guys eat. That’s what I’m here for, to make sure these guys get there,” Slay said, per NBC Sports.
His mentorship should be helpful. The Eagles looked to find their secondary cornerstones of the future in this year’s draft with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
He also mentioned how he’s looking forward to going from a full-time starter to a “full-time daddy.”
In the meantime though, he should still have his opportunities to shine. He’s still playing at a high level and pressure will be off him to be the leader of the defense with high-flying acquisitions like C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Main Photo: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
